Justin Sigal has been boning up on his cross-country skiing abilities and his limited German.

Sigal, 27, from Vernon, will represent Canada in cross-country skiing at the 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games, which begin Tuesday in the Austrian communities of Graz, Schladming, Ramsau and Styria.

乌鸦传媒淚 know ja bitte (yes, please) and nein danke (no, thank-you),乌鸦传媒� smiled Sigal, who left Saturday to join his Canadian teammates in Toronto before heading overseas.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 very excited to be going. It will be my first time in another country and first time representing Canada.乌鸦传媒�

Getting to the World Winter Games has been a four-year process for Sigal.

He started at a 2014 regional event in Kamloops, where his results qualified him for the provincial finals the following year. At the B.C. championships, Sigal乌鸦传媒檚 results were enough to earn him a spot on the provincial team for the 2016 Canadian Winter Games in Corner Brook. In Newfoundland, Sigal won gold and silver in the 2.5- and 5-kilometre classic events (the same events he乌鸦传媒檒l race in Austria), much to his surprise and delight.

乌鸦传媒淚 was just enjoying the experience (of Canadians). I wasn乌鸦传媒檛 focusing on results or anything,乌鸦传媒� said Sigal, who claims to have been 乌鸦传媒渂orn with cross-country skis.乌鸦传媒� He did start skiing at a young age 乌鸦传媒� was named Most Improved Skier in the Jackrabbits program at age 10 at the Sovereign Lake Nordic Centre, where a ski mounted on the wall inside the centre乌鸦传媒檚 chalet commemorates the achievement 乌鸦传媒� before deciding to try downhill skiing in 2006.

That lasted for six years before Sigal returned to the cross-country trails.

He is one of 20 athletes from B.C. on the 108-member Canadian squad. He乌鸦传媒檚 joined by fellow Okanagan cross-country skiers Tracey Melesko and Francis Stanley, and wax technician/coach Garth Vickers, all from Kelowna, and coach Ray Huson of Penticton.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檝e been training with the Kelowna guys since August,乌鸦传媒� said Sigal, the first winner of the Courage honour in The Morning Star乌鸦传媒檚 2016 Community Leader Awards. 乌鸦传媒淲e do a lot of hiking at Knox Mountain or Okanagan Park. I乌鸦传媒檝e been on the snow at Sovereign since November.乌鸦传媒�

Sigal has been working at Sovereign with coach Dudley Coulter for the past four years.

乌鸦传媒淛ustin乌鸦传媒檚 perseverance and ability to put his head down and get the training done is inspiring,乌鸦传媒� said Coulter.

乌鸦传媒淗e is generally committed to his monthly training plans, no matter the weather or how tired he might be.乌鸦传媒�

Sigal, who holds down a shift as a cashier at a Vernon Tim Hortons, usually trains about seven-to-eight hours per week. He has completed more than 300 hours of training between the 2016-17 dryland and on-snow seasons. Sigal is a regular at Vernon乌鸦传媒檚 Snap Fitness, where he works with personal trainer Chelsea May.

Coulter believes Sigal can do exceptionally well in Austria as long as he works hard on the course.

乌鸦传媒淚 always tell him to 乌鸦传媒榣eave it all out on the course乌鸦传媒� and finish with nothing left in the tank,乌鸦传媒� said Coulter. 乌鸦传媒淭o me, it doesn乌鸦传媒檛 matter how he places but how hard he works during these races.

乌鸦传媒淚f Justin is laying down across the finish line, I know he gave it all he乌鸦传媒檚 got.乌鸦传媒�

Sigal, whose parents, Les and Jackie, will be in Austria rooting for their son, will arrive in Austria wearing his Canadian team jacket. He乌鸦传媒檒l wear his Canadian race suit underneath his Canadian warm-up pants 乌鸦传媒� which he乌鸦传媒檒l remove from his Canadian roll-on luggage bag and put in his Canadian backpack 乌鸦传媒� and give it his all. Cross country skiing begins Saturday.

乌鸦传媒淚乌鸦传媒檓 just going to do my best and enjoy the experience of meeting new people, trying new food and learning a new language,乌鸦传媒� he said. If that doesn乌鸦传媒檛 work, Sigal will live by the Special Olympics credo, which he knows by heart:

乌鸦传媒淟et me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.乌鸦传媒�

The 2017 Special Olympics World Winter Games will bring together more than 2,700 athletes from 107 nations. Canada乌鸦传媒檚 team is the third-largest at the Games.

Athletes will compete in six sports: alpine skiing, cross country skiing, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing and speed skating.

Canadian Olympic and World Championship gold medalist figure skater Jamie Sal茅 will serve as Canada乌鸦传媒檚 honourary coach.